June 30, 2014

Somewhere in Ecuador.......

Well, it’s winter in the southern hemisphere and you’d hardly notice, being as close to the equator as we are, this high up in the Andes mountains, but there are some tell tale signs. Just yesterday on the way down the mountain to town I noticed orange leaves. You can’t imagine how that made my heart sing! I adore autumn and the changing of the leaves before they drop. Now we’ll never see snow here or get much colder than about 62 degrees Farenheit, but the days and nights have been cool and we’ve wanted to light the fire in our fireplace. What we do get here is Wind...very strong gusts of wind. It’s kind of cool to hear the ringing of our wind chimes fairly constantly these days...coupled with the steady stream of bird song, it’s a lovely back drop to the recording we’re doing on our radio show.

Some of you may know that we’ve recently agreed to do a weekly 2 hour show for BlogTalkRadio. Well this has been an amazing process. The depth of our research has increased exponentially and the topics we’re exploring are simply fascinating as we go yet further and further into the rabbit hole. So Paul definitely takes the lead on the research and writing the outline and sometimes scripts for the shows while I am the techie and sound editor. Then we lay in the sound tracks and sound effects just like an old time radio show from the 40’s before there was television and radio was the only source of entertainment and news. It’s perfect for our delivery. And in the process we are discovering all this awesome music, which absolutely can be mind altering. It seems to be a format which encompasses all our talents including expressing the depths and nuances of emotional states.

So we’re having a blast. Our studio takes up the bulk of our living room which has windows on all sides overlooking the mountain range which separates us from the rainforest and so as we work (or play, if you like) we watch the changing weather patterns roll across the top of the range bringing rain clouds or rolling banks of clouds, rainbows galore, changing light which highlights the series of ranges that often look like just one mountain but occasionally turn into 4 or 5 stacked one behind the other. We can’t believe the good fortune we’re blessed with to live with such incredible views.

I’m delighted too that the Way brought us to a place once again where our neighbors are mostly indigenous folks, as I have a special place in my heart for these lovely people. Yet here, unlike in northern Ecuador where the indigenous outnumbered the Mestizzos, by 85% to 15%, here the indigenous folks are at most 10 to 15% of the local population. They are a  special race and I admire so much the simplicity with which they have been positioned to live their life. Just as an example, the other day my friend and neighbor was here helping me out with some work around the house and remarked on the washing machine, obviously never having seen one or used one before as she asked me where she could find the soap to wash a dirty cloth. That took me right back to my Argentinian friend from Brazil who used a single bar of soap to wash everything from hair to bathing to dishes to diapers! It may sound strange to you but I grew up in a culture that has a different manufactured type of soap for every possible use. As an American, I quite naturally fell into a very pampered and spoiled lifestyle. But the coolest thing about living and visiting various cultures around the planet is to see the depths of extravagance that we in the US took for granted as our birthright. I love the simplicity of life, uncomplicated by millions of gadgets and conveniences. But that’s not to say I am roughing it in any way. As an American living abroad, I’ve been blessed to live in places that only the wealthiest of the wealthy can afford to live in the US, with the most magnificent of views and most of the conveniences to which I was raised with. That’s not to say it’’s always been like this, but quite often it has. Once you’re able to give up trying to match what once was and give into going with what there is, life becomes more simple and increasingly more lovely.

So my friend and neighbor, who happens to be the gardener’s wife comes to visit and bring me vegetables from the garden they tend together, both for the owners of the house we live in and for their own family. A lovely arrangement I think. She tells me that they are so pleased so many foreigners have settled here because there is not enough work for the people and so they are so pleased that the foreigners have given them the little work they have. And so it was only right that I could ask her to come and work with me a half day each week. She helps me weed and care for my own little garden and helps me clean my house on days when my back is sore or I have so much work to do on our shows or other projects that there isn’t enough time to keep up with housework. It’s a lovely situation for us both.

This week she brought me some beautiful beaded necklaces she made to show me her work and offered to make me one. What a lovely way I can send some money her way to buy some new things for her children.

Life continues to unfold for us here in our new home (since April) and little by little we are feeling more at home in our new community. They have here something quite different than any other place I’ve lived. Because of the landscape of mountains, there are many different neighborhoods, what they call here, Barrios. Each one has a president and they regularly meet to discuss various topics of concern. Because there are so many foreigners living here in the area, and they are spread out amongst the various barrios, it was agreed that the foreigners could have their own “virtual” barrio with a representative “president” like the others. This comes complete with an email list, advising the rest of us of what’s going on, for example different workshops or events, fund raisers, new business ventures, things for sale or things being sought. It’s a great way to have an instant community of like minded folks supporting each other even when so many of us live in remote places throughout the hills surrounding the village. I really appreciate this and know that even though I don’t know many folks here (and likely never really will because I don’t get out much, being as involved as I am with all our projects) I know that should I need help or support in any way, my community will likely be there for me in that regard.

Sadly, I must say that my old friend and neighbor from our former home, just recently died unexpectedly. There too, they have a newsletter that goes out to all who care to be involved. Upon hearing the news, so many of the folks in the community rise to the occasion and give support in whatever way is needed. It is one of the benefits of living in a foreign land as an expat, this coming together in whatever is called for.

Well I suppose that is all I have to say for the moment. I’m happy to be corresponding once again through this blog to all who happen to check in with it from time to time. And in this way I can share my life and send my love and regards and wishes for all good things to come your way too.

Until next time........